Just As Good If Not Better (Part 2)

In continuation of my previous post titled “Just as Good If Not Better” here is part 2 of another individual who helped on my path of who I am today. Some may thank her and some may curse her, but I appreciate the words she gave me.

Words Are Power

While at the same elementary school since Kindergarten I was the little Black kid who stuttered. Once again, the only minority in the class, but only this time it was third grade. I’m not bitter for going to this particular school, because it was in a wealthy suburb of my city. One of the few schools that could afford to have a speech pathology teacher to come out and help break what I see as the psychological mechanics of stuttering. (Don’t ask, because it will become a long boring conversation. It’s just a personal theory.) So twice a week I would go to this special class all the time being called stupid and dumb by the other kids in my class.

It was near the end of the speech pathologist tenure for teaching me when she gave me these words that I appreciate so much. She told me not to listen to what other people say about me, you are smart, In fact smarter than many of them. Take your time and use your words as power. I only remember giving her a hug.

I kept those words in my heart for all these years. The words of a White Women teaching a little Black kid how to communicate better.

I think I may have gotten the word thing down pact by now. I have pretty much overcome stuttering, although I may stumble occasionally. But this is just another person who empowered me at a crucial time in my young mind to not think of myself as less than, but greater than what society may think of me.

It’s easy to conform to the wills of popular opinion or what society expects someone like you to become, but you don’t have to believe it. Just speaking a positive and affirming word into someone’s life can change their destiny.